In recent years, gas chromatograph systems have been widely used for separating and/or analyzing components in a gaseous sample. There are two types of columns commonly used in gas chromatographs, i.e. a packed column, which consists of a glass or stainless-steel tube filled with a stationary phase, and a capillary column, which consists of a quartz tube with a stationary phase applied to its inner wall. In many cases, these columns are contained in a convection oven and heated in such a manner that their temperature gradually increases. Normally, the temperature of the column at the moment of sample introduction is low. As the temperature gradually increases, the components in the sample are sequentially and individually separated. When the last component is separated, the temperature reaches as high as 200 to 400° C. Accordingly, when one analysis is completed and a new sample must be introduced into the column to initiate the next analysis, it is necessary to rapidly cool the hot column and oven. However, the convection oven impedes such a rapid temperature regulation since this type of oven has a large heat capacity.
To solve this problem, in recent years, a plate-type column has been developed, which consists of a metallic or silicon substrate with a micro passage formed therein. Furthermore, a gas chromatograph system capable of rapidly increasing or decreasing the temperature of a plate-type column by pressing the column on a heater block to heat or cool it (draw heat away from it) by thermal conduction has also been proposed (for example, see Non-Patent Document 1).